[Manny Ortiz]

" I knew he was discharged under the Carter "pardon legislation""

Just how would Kerrys (traitorous and probably illegal) anti-war activities been pardoned by Carter's EO? Here it is:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                   JANUARY 21, 1977

Office of the White House Press Secretary
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE WHITE HOUSE

GRANTING PARDON FOR VIOLATIONS
OF THE SELECTIVE SERVICE ACT,
AUGUST 4, 1964 TO MARCH 28, 1973
----------------------------------------
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

Acting pursuant to the grant of authority in Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution of the United States, I, Jimmy Carter, President of the United States, do hereby grant a full, complete and unconditional pardon to: (1) all persons who may have committed any offense between August 4, 1964 and March 28, 1973 in violation of the Military Selective Service Act or any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder; and (2) all persons heretofore convicted, irrespective of the date of conviction, of any offense committed between August 4, 1964 and March 28, 1973 in violation of the Military Selective Service Act, or any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder, restoring to them full political, civil and other rights.

This pardon does not apply to the following who are specifically excluded therefrom:

(1) All persons convicted of or who may have committed any offense in violation of the Military Selective Service Act, or any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder, involving force or violence; and

(2) All persons convicted of or who may have committed any offense in violation of the Military Selective Service Act, or any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder, in connection with duties or responsibilities arising out of employment as agents, officers or employees of the Military Selective Service system.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of January, in the year of our Lord nineteen
hundred and seventy-seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and first.

JIMMY CARTER          

#   #   #

Executive Order

 

I really think this dishonorable discharge thing is a red herring. And it has been shot down so many times it is starting to look like it was intended to be a distraction.

[Cold Heat]

Yes, we know all that. That is not the point.

The original discharge would destroy what vet support he has, and make a difference.

Sure, Carter did pardon him, but the offense committed also makes him inelligable for public office, according to the rules.

These are the issues, and both are important, regardless of the pardon by EO.

[LibWhacker]

. . . any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder . . .

THAT provides a lot of wiggle room.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Kerry met with the enemy in Hanoi. From the EO

"All persons convicted of or who may have committed any offense in violation of the Military Selective Service Act"

That includes meeting with the enemy, for which he was discharged..

[DocFarmer]

I tend to agree with you, Manny, that Kerry's "honourable" discharge was not provided due to Carter's largesse. Kerry's crimes were under the UCMJ and that US Code outside the Selective Service Act.

However, Kerry was a political sharpie. He had already tried to run for Congress (albeit unsuccessfully) and he was also making strong connections within the Mass. lib/dem/soc/commie political hierarchy. I'm sure he was being groomed for the Senate around the time of the pardon, and I'm just as sure that Carter was being given load upon load of male bovine excrement about Kerry. Carter, being Carter, was only too happy to swallow every bite, too.